Let us analyze the most controversial topic in Hinduism – Idol worship. Firstly, let me clarify that it is not idol worship, but murti worship.
The notion that the term murti is equivalent to the English word “idol” is a misconception. The scholar Steven Rosen notes that early European missionaries were largely responsible for conflating the two terms by informing local Hindus that “idol” was the correct translation for “murti”. Furthermore, scholar Diana Eck explains that the term murti is defined in Sanskrit as “anything which has definite shape and limits; a form, body, figure; an embodiment, incarnation, or manifestation.” Thus, the murti is more than a likeness; it is the deity itself taken “form”. The uses of the word murti in the Upanishads and the Bhagavad-Gita suggest that the form is its essence.” Thus, a murti is considered to be more than a mere likeness of a deity, but rather a manifestation of the deity itself. The Murti is like a way to communicate with the abstract one god (Brahman) which creates, sustains, and dissolves creation.
To understand murti worship, we must know two terms – Saguna and Nirguna. Both are originally Sanskrit words. They are not terms coined by modern science. Swami Dayananda Saraswati, the extraordinary scholar of Sanskrit language and Vedic philosophy, has written about these two words in his Satyarth-Prakash (The Light of Truth) as under, and made it very clear that God is both – Saguna as well as Nirguna:
Nirguna is One who is free from the (distinguishing) properties of matter such as Sattwa, Rajas, Tamas, color, taste, touch, smell; and of the soul such as finite power and knowledge, ignorance, passions and desires, and pain of all kinds. This definition is substantiated by the authority of Upanishad. “He is free from sound, touch, color, and such other qualities.” Eventually, only a very very few people belong to this category. And they are only people who “CAN” take the path of worshiping nirguna Brahman.
Next is Saguna(Possessed of certain specific attributes). Majority[above 99%] of men are those who are under the influence of the properties of matter[i.e., Sattwa, Rajas, Tamas, color, taste, touch, smell; finite power and knowledge, ignorance, passions and desires, and pain of all kinds.] One who have no control over these[which includes the vast majority, as mentioned] have no means to identify anything without the help of these attributes. Here comes the importance of a murti.
Let me put it in another way. We use the word “infinity” to represent anything that is beyond out imaginable capacity. What exactly is it? We don’t know, simply! Wherever we need to use infinity, we use the symbol “∞”. Now leave all big things. Let us consider a “point”. In mathematics, a point is defined as something that does not have length/breadth. Can we imagine such a thing? We use the symbol “.” to represent a point. Both the teacher as well as the student knows that it has both length and breadth. Still it is used because it is the only way a man can imagine. A man is bounded. He can only identify things using concepts that he know, and using attributes that he have. Sanathana Dharma have effectively identified a man’s abilities and inabilities.
As seen, a common man[controlled by senses] have a wandering mind. This wandering mind is thus brought to rest upon the murti, the intellect springs forth to contemplate and realise the ideal that the murti represents. Eventually, it is not the “idol” but the “ideal” that is worshiped.
So, if a man/woman criticizes murti worship, he either doesn’t know what it is or he is too much under the influence of the attributes mentioned above, that they can’t even identify their own weakness.
Thus Sanathana Dharma teaches things though experience and not unrealizable theories.
Courtesy : Global Hinduism
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